The ear does not hear and does not hurt: what to do at home
Every person may encounter a situation where the ear cannot hear. In these cases, you need to know what to do, since the symptom not only causes discomfort, but can also indicate a serious pathology.
Table of contents:
- The ear does not hear and does not hurt: what to do at home
- Causes of disorders and accompanying symptoms
- Method for eliminating violations and their diagnosis
- Prevention
- We recommend watching the video:
- The ear is hard of hearing, but it doesn’t hurt – the causes of the disease and how to get rid of it?
- Signs of hearing loss
- Possible causes of hearing loss
- First aid for ear congestion
- Ear has difficulty hearing, but does not hurt - right or left
- The ear is hard of hearing - the main reasons
- Watch videos on this topic
- Raising the hearing threshold
- What diseases does it occur in?
- Useful video on the topic
- What to read
- Actions when a problem occurs
- Proven Treatment Methods
- Unconventional methods of disposal
- Consequences of poor hearing
- Methods for diagnosing the disease
- The effectiveness of folk remedies in the treatment of hearing loss
- Preventive measures for hearing loss
- What to do if your left or right ear has trouble hearing?
- Why is my ear hard of hearing?
- Sulfur plug
- Entry of water or foreign object
- Age factor
- Infectious and inflammatory diseases
- Mechanical injury
- Taking certain medications
- Professional factor
- Chronic diseases
- The ear has poor hearing - what to do?
- Medicines
- Treatment with folk remedies
- Decoctions of medicinal herbs to restore hearing
- Infusions based on natural oils
- Ear drops
- Prevention measures
- Leave a review Cancel
- The ear cannot hear: a reason for panic or treatment? Is it dangerous when the ear cannot hear, what causes deafness, how to gain hearing
- Suddenly the ear cannot hear - reasons
- The ear cannot hear - diagnosis of diseases
- Ear cannot hear - treatment
- The ear cannot hear - simple ways to prevent it
Most often, these problems arise after ear diseases, but there are many other reasons why hearing is lost. Let's look at them in more detail, as well as what can be done at home.
Causes of disorders and accompanying symptoms
Many people have encountered a problem at least several times in their lives when their ear suddenly became hard of hearing. This does not always mean that you are starting to lose your hearing; the phenomenon can be short-term and go away on its own. But there are situations when a pathological process is evident, so it is necessary to distinguish between them.
Symptoms indicating pathology are:
- the person feels unwell;
- ear aches;
- nausea and other symptoms of intoxication occur;
- headache;
- autophony;
- congestion;
- feeling of a foreign object in the ear canal;
- the ear rings and makes noise.
If a person is only partially deaf, it is not as bad as sudden total deafness. Such manifestations must be treated immediately.
It is important to find out why one or both ears cannot hear so that appropriate measures can be taken to correct the problem. Reasons may include:
- Inflammation. Most often, the ear ceases to hear normally during and after otitis media. The accumulation of exudate, swelling and dysfunction of the Eustachian tube lead to temporary deafness. For some time after otitis media, discomfort and hearing loss persist, especially in children.
- Foreign object. Blocks the ear and prevents sound from passing through.
- Sulfur. Plugs form, which act like earplugs and provoke inflammation.
- Tumor. It disrupts the internal structure of the organ, and after enlargement it blocks its work.
- Water. Once in the ear canal, sound conduction is temporarily impaired.
- Injury. Damage to the eardrum, bruise, traumatic brain injury.
- Changes in intra-ear pressure. The position of the eardrum is distorted and its sensitivity is reduced.
- Neurological disorders. Problems of receptors and nerve endings, damage to the areas of the brain responsible for hearing.
If the ear has difficulty hearing, but does not hurt, the problem may lie in high blood pressure.
The left or right ear or both can stop hearing. It is important to know what to do to get your ears back to normal.
Method for eliminating violations and their diagnosis
What to do at home if one ear has almost no hearing? The solution to this problem depends on the reason that provoked it.
If hearing loss begins to occur after swimming, most likely water has entered the ear. Try shaking it out by tilting your head to the side. To straighten the ear canal, pull the shell back and down. Make a few swallowing movements. Collect the remaining water with a cotton swab, but do not deepen it too much.
When your ear rings and becomes blocked due to pressure changes, you can do special exercises to straighten it out. Cover your ears with your palms, and then sharply pull them back. Afterwards, swallow several times, open your mouth wide, imitate chewing, close your nose and exhale. At least one of these movements will ease your condition.
If we are talking about the consequences of otitis media, then you need to use medications. It is necessary to eliminate inflammation, swelling and accumulation of secretions in the ear. If your ear also hurts, try geranium juice to relieve the discomfort. Drops with propolis and boric alcohol will help. It is recommended to use these remedies only after consulting a doctor, since some substances and procedures are not suitable for this or that type of otitis.
Allergies can also cause hearing problems. Such irritation can cause the development of allergic otitis media. To relieve swelling, antihistamines, antiallergic tablets, creams, and vasoconstrictor nasal drops are used.
A child is often found to have wax plugs or foreign objects in the ears. Since they block the ear canal, they must be removed before they damage the organ. Various methods are used for extraction: tweezers, washing, dissolving sulfur and wax candles. It is best to entrust these manipulations to a specialist.
If your ear is ringing and it becomes difficult to hear, this may be due to exposure to loud noise. To eliminate the consequences of mild acoustic trauma, it is enough to wait a while. If the membrane is damaged, you must go to the hospital.
Mechanical injury is treated for a long time and under the supervision of a doctor. If the ear cannot hear due to a ruptured membrane, the membrane can heal on its own. In case of extensive damage, tympanoplasty is necessary. To prevent it from getting worse, cover your ear with cotton to prevent infection and consult an ENT specialist.
The causes of hearing loss can be more serious and complex: deafness or hearing loss. There are two main types of pathologies:
- Conductive hearing loss. Associated with the outer and middle ear, there is a disruption in the conduction of sound along the functional chain, but most defects can be eliminated with medication or surgery.
- Sensorineural hearing loss. It affects the sensory receptors of the inner ear and the vestibulocochlear nerve, but most of the processes are irreversible and hearing aids are required.
To find out the exact diagnosis, you need to contact an otolaryngologist, audiologist and neurologist. The problem is considered comprehensively. Events such as:
If possible, the doctor will eliminate the cause of hearing loss and tell you what to do and how to treat it in the future. You can often get by with home therapy, but only after a preliminary examination by a doctor and the appointment of a clear treatment program.
Prevention
In order not to encounter the problems described above, it is necessary to do everything possible to eliminate the causes of hearing impairment. The simplest preventive measures are:
- Avoid getting water in your ears. A humid environment promotes the development of inflammation.
- Start treatment for otitis in a timely manner, since the most complications arise after an infectious or allergic disease.
- Avoid injury to the head and the ears themselves.
- Perform proper hygiene procedures. It is important not only to regularly clean your ears of wax, but also to do it correctly so as not to injure it and not lead to the formation of wax plugs.
- Avoid loud sounds and vibrations, as well as prolonged acoustic exposure and pressure changes.
- Limit the use of ototoxic substances to protect nerve endings and sensors.
- Treat runny nose, allergies and other nasopharyngeal problems so that it does not become a chronic disease.
Another important rule is to strengthen your immune system. You should adhere to a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle.
If you still encounter a problem, and the condition does not improve for a long time, it is recommended to consult an ENT specialist for advice.
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The ear is hard of hearing, but it doesn’t hurt – the causes of the disease and how to get rid of it?
Today, more and more people are turning to an otolaryngologist with complaints of hearing loss without obvious pain. There may be several reasons for this, ranging from a common cold to serious damage to the functioning of the brain centers.
Understanding the etiology of the disease and identifying the true origin of the disease can only be done by experienced specialists whom you should visit before starting treatment (ENT, audiologist, neurologist and others).
However, if your ear does not hurt, but also cannot hear, and there is no way to urgently see a doctor, you can try to improve your condition yourself with some home methods described below. Please remember that these are only temporary measures and do not replace professional diagnosis.
Signs of hearing loss
If your ear does not hurt, the following signs may be a reason to contact an audiologist:
- You listen to the whispers;
- The speech of your interlocutors seems unclear to you, reminiscent of muttering;
- It is difficult for you to comprehend a conversation in a noisy environment or when there are a large number of people (for example, in a car, in public places, in class);
- Lately you have been turning up the volume on the radio or TV.
Most people, noticing such behavior, become wary. But if the ear does not hurt, then we often postpone a visit to the doctor, and instead simply adapt to the current situation. But the reasons may be much more serious than we think, and treatment should be started immediately.
Possible causes of hearing loss
There can be many factors that cause hearing loss in adults and children. Most often, the ear does not hurt, but it is difficult to hear for precisely the following reasons:
Self-medication and uncontrolled use of a number of medications.
Thus, hormonal and potent antifungal agents, antibiotics of a number of aminoglycosides and diuretics have a high level of toxicity for the auditory organ. It is their uncontrolled intake that can cause irreversible changes in the auditory part of the ear and, as a result, lead to deafness.
A cerebral hemorrhage or blockage of a blood vessel that directly supplies the inner ear.
Since such changes occur outside the auditory organ, but already in the brain, the person does not feel pain. Of course, you shouldn’t sound the alarm right away, because a cerebral hemorrhage is not a runny nose or indigestion, it just doesn’t happen like that. As a rule, this condition is preceded by injuries and concussions.
Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels.
This is an age-related disease that develops gradually and is not accompanied by pain in the ear area.
Wax plug in the ear.
The formation and accumulation of wax in the ear clogs the ear canal and prevents sound impulses from reaching the nerve endings.
Fluid entering the ear canal.
After taking a shower or swimming in the pool, there are also often situations when we notice a decrease in hearing in one or both ears. At first there is no pain, but if you do not get rid of the water in the ear canal, this can lead to the onset of an inflammatory process.
A sharp loud sound.
A firecracker exploding near the ear, a gunshot, an explosion, or another powerful sound impulse can have a destructive effect on the sensory cells in the ear and cause temporary deafness. If the eardrum is not damaged, then the ear does not hurt, but it also does not hear.
Ear congestion due to influenza or ARVI.
Due to the anatomical features of our body, hearing loss can be caused by any disease of the nasopharynx, accompanied by swelling of the mucous membrane. So, even with a normal runny nose, ear congestion will interfere with the normal perception of the interlocutor’s speech.
Kidney diseases, meningitis, measles, mumps and other infectious diseases.
Chemotherapy procedures, radiation exposure.
Quite rare provoking factors that are not available to the average person, but they still exist.
In any case, the absence of pain when hearing deteriorates is not a reason to refuse consultation with a specialist. And only with timely access to an ENT specialist and audiologist can one maintain the ability to hear for many years to come.
First aid for ear congestion
If you notice that your hearing has become worse in one or both ears, you need to urgently begin to get rid of this symptom. The types of gymnastics and procedures directly depend on the reason that provoked the appearance of congestion.
Under no circumstances should you try to remove it yourself using sharp objects or cotton swabs. Otherwise, you risk injuring the eardrum or pushing the plug even deeper into the ear canal, thereby worsening your condition.
If it is not possible to seek qualified help, try softening the plug with hydrogen peroxide or preheated olive oil. Place a few drops of one of these products and wait a little while for the wax to melt on its own and flow out of the ear.
Sudden changes in pressure.
People encounter sudden changes in pressure while flying on an airplane, when descending a mountain in a car, or simply in an elevator. To get rid of congestion in this situation, just yawn deeply or swallow several times in a row.
If water gets into your ear while showering and you become hard of hearing, try jumping on one leg with your head tilted to the side. You need to tilt your head in the direction from which you notice congestion: if on the left, then you should jump on your left leg, and vice versa. If this doesn't help, try lying down for a minute with a warm heating pad next to the problem ear.
Ear congestion due to cold.
You can restore your hearing during a runny nose only by getting rid of this unpleasant symptom of ARVI. The most effective method is to rinse the nose with saline or saline solution up to 4-5 times a day. Warm compresses with boric alcohol directly on the ear can also help.
If your ear is suddenly blocked, but it doesn’t hurt.
You can try some simple gymnastics. To do this, make several movements back and forth with your lower jaw, then left and right. Just be careful. Careless gymnastics can lead to dislocation of the mandibular joint, and only a traumatologist can correct it.
If none of the above methods helped restore normal hearing, you should try to see a specialist as soon as possible. It is dangerous to delay visiting a doctor even if pain occurs. After all, the ability to listen to the world around us is one of the values given to us by nature. And any delay can deprive you of this gift.
Source: http://gaimoritus.ru/otit/uho-ne-slishit-no-ne-bolit.html
Ear has difficulty hearing, but does not hurt - right or left
Sometimes it happens that one ear has trouble hearing, but it doesn’t hurt. This can occur for several reasons and develop over a long period of time. In this case, it can be considered as an increase in hearing thresholds.
The ear is hard of hearing - the main reasons
There are a number of factors that lead to partial hearing loss, such as:
- presence of wax plug in the ear canal;
- entry of liquid into the middle ear;
- drug abuse;
- body changes associated with age;
- work in hazardous industries with high noise levels and contact with chemicals;
- atherosclerosis.
- Mechanical damage also contributes to partial hearing loss.
- Hearing impairment is often observed in people who have had a head injury or brain disease.
- Colds often lead to hearing impairment, which is associated with the entry of mucous fluid formed during a runny nose into the ear canal, which leads to the onset of the inflammatory process.
The danger of untreated colds is that their effect on the hearing organ can become apparent after several weeks or even months. Hearing loss is most often painless; as a rule, patients complain only of ear congestion.
Watch videos on this topic
Raising the hearing threshold
Most often, the right or left ear has difficulty hearing due to the occurrence of wax plugs blocking the auditory canal.
Often, an increase in the size of the plug leads to complete deafness in one ear.
Interestingly, a large percentage of plugs occur among people who pay great attention to ear hygiene.
Cotton swabs clean only the outer area of the ear, while compressing the wax, which is located deep. The presence of sulfur itself is not a deviation; sulfur performs a protective function, preventing harmful bacteria and dust particles from entering the brain.
If for some reason you can’t visit a doctor, you can try to remove the plug yourself by purchasing oil-based drops or suppositories at the pharmacy, under the influence of which the plug softens and is removed from the ear canal.
What diseases does it occur in?
Hearing loss can occur as a result of pathology in any part of the ear. Individually, tinnitus can be thought of as a hissing, squeaking, or grinding sound. This pathology, leading to hearing loss, develops in a short time.
The result of noise is often vascular disease in the neck or head. Diagnostics distinguishes two types of noise: objective and subjective.
Objective noise is associated with the presence of an anomaly of the mandibular joint, frequent contractions of the swallowing muscles, or pressure surges in the cavity of the middle ear associated with the eustachian tube.
Unlike objective noise, subjective noise manifests itself in the presence of a defect in the middle or inner ear. It can manifest itself as a result of diseases of various organs and systems.
Noise can be caused by:
- osteochondrosis of the upper spine;
- chronic cerebrovascular disease;
- low pressure;
- Meniere's disease;
- otitis;
- neuritis of the auditory canal.
Tinnitus is often just a symptom of another life-threatening disease.
Useful video on the topic
Watch the video why the ear has difficulty hearing but does not hurt:
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Actions when a problem occurs
If you notice the first symptoms, you should seek the help of a specialized doctor.
As a preventive measure, you need to undergo an examination once a year.
You should not ignore hearing impairment; this can lead to the most serious consequences, including hearing loss.
Action should be taken depending on the specific situation.
- If the hearing loss is associated with a surge in pressure, it is enough to make a couple of swallowing movements or yawn deeply.
- If water gets in, do not try to remove it using foreign objects. The best way is to take a position on your side (the ear into which the water has entered should be directed downwards) and slightly pull back your earlobe while making swallowing movements.
- If you have a runny nose, you should first eliminate the cause of the complication and try to relieve swelling in the Eustachian tube with vasoconstrictor drops. This method is suitable for those whose complication is not serious, otherwise it would be prudent to consult a doctor.
Proven Treatment Methods
What should you do if your ear has trouble hearing, but it doesn’t hurt? Treatment should be prescribed by an experienced specialist after diagnosis. Depending on the reasons that led to an increase in the hearing threshold, a specific therapeutic course is prescribed.
If the problem is related to otosclerosis, the following appointment is prescribed:
Physiotherapy procedures, such as iodine electrophoresis, which helps relieve tinnitus, are very helpful. In some cases, surgical intervention is required.
If hearing loss is explained by age-related changes, the procedures associated with their elimination are of a general strengthening nature. Patients are prescribed medications that normalize metabolic processes and improve blood supply to the auditory nerve.
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Unconventional methods of disposal
For the treatment of hearing loss in folk medicine there are recipes that have been proven over the years.
- To reduce noise in the ear, there is a simple folk remedy: a hot decoction of hops helps a lot if you drink a glass of it every day for a month, additionally instilling 5-6 drops of almond oil into the sore ear. If necessary, repeat the procedure in a month.
- For atherosclerosis, the following recipe will help against noise in the ear: before breakfast, you should eat a small clove of garlic, in its entirety, without chewing. The duration of the procedure is one month. For prevention, it should be repeated once every six months.
- If the ear has difficulty hearing after neuritis, heated salt or sand wrapped in a canvas bag gives a positive result. In case of inflammation, this method is contraindicated.
- Onion juice is an effective remedy for otitis media. A mixture of four drops of onion juice and one drop of vodka is used. The resulting product is instilled into the ear twice a day, two drops.
It is important to remember that hearing must be protected at any age.
Consequences of poor hearing
Poor hearing, or hearing loss, as this disease is called in medicine, has a serious impact on a person’s life. In a patient, the disease may develop suddenly or gradually, depending on the reasons that caused it. Accordingly, its consequences will also be excellent.
It is most difficult to identify hearing loss at an early age. But it is during this period that it can lead to the most serious consequences. In children, this is a violation of speech function. Vocabulary and speech itself develop with a significant delay or do not develop at all. If the disease is not diagnosed in time and measures are not taken to treat it, this will lead to a decrease in size of the area of the brain that is responsible for hearing. Over time, it can completely atrophy. Even with subsequent successful treatment of hearing loss, it is almost impossible to restore brain function.
Hearing loss caused by infectious diseases can lead to their chronic forms, for example, chronic otitis media. As a result of the presence of persistent infection, hearing loss will progress. The final form is complete deafness. In some cases, advanced hearing loss can only be treated with surgery.
In adulthood, poor hearing leads not only to speech impairments and the ability to read, but also affects the psycho-emotional state. This leaves its mark on the patient’s character.
Gradually, hearing loss leads to a noticeable change in the patient’s behavior. He perceives the world around him more hostilely. The more the hearing loss progresses, the more defensive the person becomes. As a result, this leads to a constant feeling of isolation from others and one’s own rejection.
The less a person hears phrases or cues from the environment, the more depression he develops and short-term memory impairment occurs. During conversations, patients with hearing impairments are characterized by two opposite patterns of behavior. In the first case, they try to dominate, in the second, to evade. If the background noise exceeds their hearing threshold, they avoid group communication. Consequently, they limit social contacts more and refuse to seek help.
At any age, hearing loss leads not only to poor health, but also to the inability to build social connections normally.
Methods for diagnosing the disease
Diagnosis of hearing loss is necessary in order to determine the extent of the disease and identify the causes that led to its formation. The main task of a diagnostic study is to identify the level of damage, the persistence of hearing loss, and its nature.
An otolaryngologist performs a number of procedures:
- external examination of the head, neck, auricle;
- speech audiometry;
- otoscopy;
- tuning fork tests;
- recording of a tone threshold audiogram;
- examination of the middle ear and eardrum.
An external examination is necessary to identify injuries that could lead to hearing loss. Examinations of the middle ear and eardrum show whether there are acute infections (otitis) and foreign objects in the ear canal.
Speech audiometry is the easiest way to determine hearing loss. There are speech and whisper audiometry. In a simple case, the doctor whispers a series of phrases that the patient must hear and repeat. In more complex situations, a special device is used - an audiometer. An electroacoustic device produces sounds of varying intensity and tonality. It is used to record a tonal threshold audiogram.
Tuning fork tests are a diagnostic study using tuning forks that differ in sound frequency. With their help, both bone and air sound conductivity of the ear are determined. This method relates more to subjective diagnosis, since it completely depends on the doctor’s opinion. Based on the results of the research, consultations with an audiologist and otoneurologist are prescribed.
It is most difficult to identify hearing loss in a young child. The child's attentiveness plays the main role.
The main reasons for contacting a specialist include:
- lack of reaction to a call or other sharp sound;
- inability to determine the source of the sound;
- little or no vocabulary after age two.
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The effectiveness of folk remedies in the treatment of hearing loss
Garlic is a cure for all diseases. It is actively used in the treatment of hearing loss. It is noted that it helps restore hearing even in its complete absence. Craftsmen identify three main recipes related to garlic.
- Garlic drops. To prepare them, you need to squeeze fresh garlic juice and mix it with olive oil in a ratio of 1:3. 2-3 drops are instilled into the sore ear for two weeks. After which a break is taken and the procedure is repeated.
- Garlic turundas. Garlic is grated and mixed with camphor oil. Take 2-3 drops of oil for each clove. The resulting mass is placed in a bandage and turundas are rolled up. They are inserted into the ear canal overnight for two weeks.
- Garlic tincture. To prepare it, you need to pour 300 grams of garlic with 0.5 liters of alcohol and leave them for three weeks in a dark place. The resulting tincture is drunk once a day. Add 20 drops to a glass of milk.
For tinnitus, lemon balm tincture helps very well. To obtain it, you need to pour 1 part of the herb with 3 parts of alcohol or vodka. The tincture is kept in a dark place for 7 days. After this, it can be instilled into the sore ear, 3-4 drops at a time. If tinctures cannot be used for a number of reasons, then you can prepare a decoction of lemon balm and take 2 tablespoons of it 5-6 times a day.
There are other traditional medicine methods to improve hearing. Propolis, cranberries, bay leaves, onions, honey coins and honey viburnum have proven themselves very well.
Preventive measures for hearing loss
To prevent hearing loss, comprehensive measures must be taken.
- Periodic examinations by an ENT doctor.
- Timely diagnosis and competent treatment of infectious diseases of the respiratory tract (rhinitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, etc.).
- Regular examination of children to detect hearing loss.
- Removal of adenoids before hearing problems appear.
- Timely detection and competent treatment of acute otitis media.
- Vaccination against rubella at the planning stage of children.
- Prevention of nervous tension and stress during pregnancy.
- Learning the correct technique for blowing your nose.
- Refusal to use cotton swabs and other ear cleaning products.
- Protecting the ears from foreign bodies, water, and chemicals getting into them.
- Using clean fresh water to wash your ears.
- High-quality drying of ears after visiting a pool, pond or bath.
- Quitting bad habits: smoking, alcohol.
- Proper and balanced nutrition.
- Elimination of strong noise and vibrations.
- Use of personal protective equipment when working in loud industries.
- Timely contact a specialist at the first signs of hearing problems.
- What to do when the ear does not hear, but does not hurt
- Hearing loss in older people
- Constant tinnitus - causes and treatment
- Noise and buzzing in the ears and head - causes and treatment
- Noise in the ears and head - causes, treatment, what to do
- Tinnitus and dizziness - causes, treatment
- Why the ears are blocked - the real reasons
- Causes and treatment of noise in the left ear
- Why does there be loud noise in the ears and head?
- How to remove and how to cure noise in the ear
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Thanks for the article. Everything is very accessible. I had such a thing that one ear couldn’t hear. It turned out there was a sulfur plug there. A friend advised me to buy stopotit drops. the wax plug came out on its own after several uses
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What to do if your left or right ear has trouble hearing?
With hearing impairment, a person loses the ability to fully perceive the sound of the surrounding world. Problems with communication, difficulties with professional fulfillment and social adaptation begin. It often happens that the ear has difficulty hearing, but does not hurt, and a person tries to adapt to this condition by postponing a visit to an otolaryngologist for an indefinite period of time.
This partial hearing loss is called hearing loss. At the same time, the ability to hear is preserved, and with timely seeking medical help, the unfavorable situation can most often be corrected. After all, the reason why your ears have become hard to hear may be a banal wax plug or the natural processes of aging of the body. In cases where the cause of the pathology is inflammatory diseases of the hearing aid, properly selected treatment can prevent the development of deafness.
Why is my ear hard of hearing?
There are many provoking factors leading to partial hearing loss. The most common of them are:
Sulfur plug
If one ear hears worse than the other, the cause may be an accumulation of earwax in the ear canal. In this case, the person complains of a feeling of congestion, decreased hearing acuity, tinnitus, dizziness and other associated symptoms. You can remove the plug in the ENT doctor’s office or on your own, at home, using special solutions that dissolve the sulfur conglomerate.
Entry of water or foreign object
The penetration of water into the ears during swimming or water procedures often causes partial hearing loss. If the ear canal is not immediately cleared of fluid, a humid environment can become a favorable factor for the proliferation of pathogenic microflora and the development of inflammation. In this case, a person may complain that he cannot hear well in the right ear, while auditory perception in the other ear is not impaired. The same thing happens when a foreign body gets into the ear canal (from a cherry pit to small parts of a toy). This situation especially often happens with young children due to parental oversight.
Age factor
As the body ages, the functionality of the hearing aid decreases. This is facilitated by chronic diseases (hypertension, atherosclerosis, circulatory disorders). Many elderly people over the age of 60 experience partial hearing loss, and they come to the doctor with complaints that their left ear does not hear well, while the right ear performs its functions properly.
Infectious and inflammatory diseases
If the ear has difficulty hearing after a cold, the culprit is an inflammatory process that develops under the influence of bacterial or viral agents. A complication such as acoustic neuritis is often caused by influenza or ARVI. Partial hearing loss often occurs with sore throat (as growing adenoids block the Eustachian tubes) or after otitis media and meningitis. A common reason why a child has difficulty hearing in the ear can be childhood infections (measles, rubella, mumps).
Mechanical injury
The degree of hearing loss due to perforation of the eardrum largely depends on the extent of damage and the presence of an inflammatory process. The most unfavorable prognosis is for conditions accompanied by the release of purulent exudate. Hearing problems often occur after traumatic brain injuries.
Taking certain medications
This can also cause temporary hearing loss. This point must be taken into account and before using a new drug, always carefully study the instructions and possible adverse reactions that may develop when taking the drug.
Professional factor
Workers who are forced to spend long periods of time in conditions of strong noise and vibration most often experience hearing loss. The same problem plagues part of the population living near the airport or busy highways, as well as those who like to listen to loud music. This category of people is more at risk of completely losing their hearing than others.
Chronic diseases
Deterioration in auditory perception occurs after otitis media (an inflammatory process in different parts of the ear) or as a result of pathologies such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, atherosclerosis, vascular disorders in the brain, auditory canal neuritis, allergic reactions, neurological disorders provoked by a severe stressful situation.
There are a lot of factors that provoke dysfunction of the hearing aid. The sooner you contact a specialist with your problem, the sooner you will receive adequate treatment.
Be prepared for the fact that to establish the true cause of the pathology, you will have to undergo a full examination. The patient needs to donate blood for analysis, undergo an otoscopy, audiometry, and, if necessary, undergo an x-ray or ultrasound.
The ear has poor hearing - what to do?
The answer to this question will be given by an otolaryngologist. If the reason is completely harmless, for example, water got into the ear or hearing deteriorated under the influence of external factors (pressure changes, high humidity or dry air), the specialist will give the necessary recommendations:
External factors. You can remove water from your ear in a very simple way. You just need to pull the earlobe down and make a few swallowing movements, after which the remaining liquid that has leaked from the ear is blotted with a cotton swab.
In case of pressure changes, when the ears are blocked and extraneous noises appear, you can lightly massage the auricles, swallow saliva and make several chewing movements.
If other factors are involved, you will have to undergo a course of treatment:
Sulfur plug. If the cause of hearing impairment is cerumen, the doctor can remove it mechanically, using special instruments, or use modern vacuum equipment for these purposes.
If you wish, you can get rid of wax plugs yourself, at home. To do this, you need to buy special solutions at the pharmacy that break down earwax (Remo-Vax or A-Cerumen). Your doctor will recommend the most suitable remedy for you. If the cork is dry, it must first be “soaked”. For this purpose, hydrogen peroxide (3%) is used, which is instilled into the ears for 2-3 days.
After preliminary preparation, the main procedures begin. A means for dissolving sulfur conglomerate is instilled into the ear canal in the dose specified in the instructions for use of the drug. Then you need to wait a certain time for the sulfur deposits to dissolve and only then rinse your ear with warm water from a syringe, directing the stream along the back and upper wall of the ear canal.
Diseases of the hearing organs. If hearing loss occurs as a result of exacerbation of chronic pathologies, colds and viral diseases (influenza, acute respiratory viral infections, acute respiratory infections), these pathologies must first be treated. For a runny nose, vasoconstrictor drops in the nose will help, which will reduce swelling in the Eustachian tubes and relieve the feeling of congestion and tinnitus.
Taking into account the pathogen that provokes the inflammatory process, the doctor may prescribe ear drops with an antibacterial, antiviral or antifungal component. The best effectiveness is shown by complex preparations that combine several active substances and act against a wide range of pathogenic microflora.
Medicines
List of popular drugs for the treatment of inflammatory and infectious diseases of the hearing aid:
To prevent infectious complications, it is recommended to use products with an antiseptic effect, for example, instilling a solution of furatsilin or boric acid into the ear canal.
Along with local remedies for the treatment of otitis, a course of antibiotic tablets is prescribed. In case of severe inflammation, deterioration of the condition, or increase in temperature, medications from the NSAID group are used.
Physiotherapeutic methods for treating otitis include iodine electrophoresis, UHF, magnetic therapy, Sollux, blowing and washing the affected ear.
Allergy. Sometimes hearing impairment causes allergic reactions, which can occur in response to wearing earrings or clip-on earrings. Inflammation that begins in the earlobe can spread to the ear canal. In this case, it is necessary to immediately get rid of the provoking factor, that is, remove and put away all the jewelry. To relieve allergy symptoms, the doctor will prescribe antihistamines and ear drops with antiallergic effects.
If hearing loss is associated with age, the patient is prescribed restorative procedures, medications to improve metabolism and activate blood supply to the auditory nerve. If necessary, a hearing aid is selected for the patient.
If the eardrum is damaged, the patient is prescribed antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs to prevent infection. If such therapy does not give a positive result within a month, surgical intervention is resorted to.
Treatment with folk remedies
At the first signs of hearing loss, you must consult a doctor to make a diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment. Hearing dysfunction can have many causes, and only an experienced professional can accurately determine it. If for some reason a person does not have the opportunity to undergo examination or use medications, you can use traditional medicine recipes. They can also be used in addition to the main course of therapy.
In folk medicine, there are many different recipes for the treatment and restoration of hearing. These can be decoctions of medicinal plants and infusions based on natural oils.
Decoctions of medicinal herbs to restore hearing
Cranberry broth. This remedy has a positive effect on the condition of blood vessels, cleansing them, strengthens the immune system and restores hearing. To prepare the decoction, you need to take 1 glass of cranberries, mash the berries and squeeze out the juice. The resulting cake is poured into 1 liter of water, boiled, filtered and added one tablespoon of honey. The finished broth is cooled, berry juice is added to it and consumed during the day instead of tea.
Decoction of rose petals. To prepare the drink, take a pinch of dry petals, add it to a teapot and pour boiling water over it. The active substances contained in this plant accelerate blood circulation, cleanse blood vessels and stimulate the restoration of auditory perception. The drink can be consumed throughout the day instead of tea or coffee.
Decoction of laurel leaves. You need to take five fresh bay leaves, pour boiling water over them and leave for 2 minutes. Wrap the bowl with the broth in a towel and wait until the finished drink cools down. The medicinal decoction is drunk three times a day, one tablespoon. For the best effect, it is recommended to combine the use of the decoction with instillation of ear drops.
Infusions based on natural oils
Garlic infusion. Garlic is one of the best remedies for restoring hearing. To prepare the infusion, you need to crush one garlic clove and add a couple of drops of camphor oil to it. The mixture is thoroughly mixed and wrapped in gauze. Small tampons with infusion are placed in the ear canals before bedtime. As soon as a burning sensation appears in the ears, they are taken out. The procedure must be repeated for several days.
Propolis infusion. Homemade propolis-based preparations improve blood circulation and help reduce tinnitus. To prepare the infusion, grind 40 g of propolis, pour in 100 ml of vodka and wrap it in gauze. The dishes with the infusion are placed in a dark place for 10 days, after which it is filtered and vegetable oil is added in a ratio of 1:4.
For treatment, the remedy is used as follows: a small piece of cotton wool is moistened in the prepared infusion and placed inside the sore ear for an hour. After this time, the procedure is repeated. The duration of treatment is 2 weeks.
To prepare another recipe based on propolis, its tincture is mixed with other oils. To treat hearing impairment, take an alcohol tincture of propolis (30 or 40%) and add corn and olive oil to it in a ratio of 1:4. The mixture is thoroughly mixed and shaken to obtain a homogeneous mass.
To carry out the procedure, take two pieces of cotton wool, moisten them in the resulting medicine and insert them into the ear canal. Children are given cotton wool for 12 hours, adults – for a day. The course of treatment involves at least 10 procedures, which are repeated every other day.
Ear drops
In folk medicine, ear drops are actively used, which are prepared from the juices of various plants. Thus, healers recommend instilling onion juice into the sore ear. To prepare the product, you need to take 1 large onion, peel it, sprinkle with cumin seeds and bake. After the bulb has cooled, squeeze the juice out of it through gauze and drop 2-3 drops into one ear.
Prevention measures
To prevent your ears from hearing poorly, follow certain recommendations:
- Treat infectious diseases of ENT organs in a timely manner.
- Do not allow water or foreign objects to get into your ears. Wear a cap when visiting the pool or while swimming.
- Use personal protective equipment when working in hazardous industries with increased levels of noise and dust.
- To remove wax plugs, do not use improvised means (matches, pins), otherwise there is a high risk of damage to the eardrum.
- When using cotton swabs, do not allow deep penetration into the ear canal, otherwise the wax plug will simply compact and move even further.
- It is best to dissolve sulfur accumulations with special solutions designed for this purpose.
- Contact a specialist in a timely manner if you experience hearing problems, and for preventative purposes, visit an ENT doctor twice a year.
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Before using medications, consult your doctor!
Source: http://glavvrach.com/plokho-slyshit-levoe-ili-pravoe-ukho/
The ear cannot hear: a reason for panic or treatment? Is it dangerous when the ear cannot hear, what causes deafness, how to gain hearing
The truth has long been known that toothache and ear pain are the most difficult to endure. It seems to permeate the whole head through and through. However, ear pain is far from the worst thing, but when the ear does not hear, this may be a sign of incurable pathologies. It happens that the ear of the youngest children cannot hear, and such congestion in the ear is difficult to diagnose. But even in adults, sudden deafness sometimes goes away on its own, and later returns with even greater force.
If you cannot hear in one or both ears, you urgently need to see a doctor to diagnose the problem and properly treat it. By letting the disease take its course, patients often achieve complete deafness, which can only be corrected with the help of a hearing aid. Such people will never feel complete again.
How to act when there is congestion in the ears - when you can take effective independent measures, and in which cases you should urgently consult a doctor - read on.
Suddenly the ear cannot hear - reasons
You can stuff the most unpredictable objects into your ear, from an ear stick to, for example, a cherry pit (the latter activity is especially common among children). Even a small object that gets into the ear canal cannot be pulled out on its own. A foreign body causes inflammation, pain, and a little later - an accumulation of pus inside the ear and flowing out after a few days. In this case, the ear canal is blocked only in the ear that has become a “shelter” for the unintended element, while the other hears normally.
Can't hear in the ear after a cold
After suffering an acute respiratory infection, different organs may suffer, and if the ear does not hear, then it is the ear that has become inflamed and otitis media has begun. What is the essence of the problem?
The outer (external) ear, which is visible to the eye, resembles a pipe, and “rests” on the eardrum. On the other side of the membrane is the middle ear in the form of an air chamber, connected via the Eustachian tube to the pharynx. The main condition for normal hearing is equal pressure in all parts of the ear, for which the Eustachian tube is responsible. If there is an obstacle to air movement, then hearing acuity decreases.
A prolonged runny nose after a cold leads to constantly hyperemic mucous membranes and accumulation of mucus. Swelling blocks the air-conducting ability of the Eustachian tube, causing eustachitis (tubo-otitis), and therefore the ear does not hear. In addition, with constant nose blowing, the pressure in the tympanic cavity increases greatly, it becomes blocked and hearing disappears.
Ear plugs can also have an unpleasant effect after a cold.
Ear plug – easily curable deafness
Acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections, tonsillitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis - any inflammation of the ENT organs can leave behind fluid in the nasopharynx. Mixing with sulfur and dust, it hardens and a plug is formed, which will not dissolve on its own.
Traffic jams also form due to the physiological characteristics of the ear structure. Initially, narrow ear canals provoke stagnation of wax, which thickens and often cannot come out on its own.
If water gets in from outside (during swimming or carelessly washing the ears), the ears can also become blocked. If the water was clean and the moisture was quickly and completely removed, then this will not cause problems in the future.
It often manifests itself without pain, in the form of hearing loss, tinnitus; less often, these symptoms, depending on the cause of neuritis, may be accompanied by acute pain in the ears, dizziness, nausea, weakness, increased blood pressure and body temperature.
Hearing impairment, depending on the nature of the nerve damage, can be unilateral or manifest in both ears.
Causes of damage to the auditory nerve:
• any (bacterial or viral) infection can cause auditory neuritis. The most common infections are influenza, ARVI, rubella, mumps (mumps), and meningitis;
• toxic poisoning (ototoxicity) with drugs (antibiotics, anticancer drugs, acetylsalicylic acid, quinine), industrial chemicals, alcohol and nicotine poisoning;
• traumatic brain injury, causing swelling, impaired blood circulation and capillary and arterial hemorrhages;
• features of professional activity in the form of increased noise, acoustic trauma and vibrations (due to vibration disease);
• age-related changes – hypertension, changes in the hearing aid, circulatory disorders, stroke;
Violation of the integrity of the eardrum
This is a condition where the membrane separating the middle and outer ear is damaged due to injury or inflammation. An acute condition with perforation of the eardrum is accompanied by periodic bleeding and pain.
The degree of hearing loss due to perforation of the eardrum depends on the size of the damage and the presence of mucopurulent exudate. If treatment is started in a timely manner, complete restoration of hearing acuity is possible. Otherwise, hearing loss in the damaged ear remains forever.
The ear cannot hear with external or otitis media
Inflammation of the middle ear and eardrum (otitis media) often occurs against the background of acute respiratory infections, due to excess mucus. Otitis media is often accompanied by fever, always by pain and a reversible decrease in hearing in one or both ears.
Otitis externa is a bacterial inflammation of the ear canal, usually caused by the ingress of pathogenic microflora from the outside. Deep insertion of foreign objects into the ear, failure to comply with hygiene rules, swimming in dirty water - all this often leads to external otitis media. The main manifestations of the disease are severe pain, high fever and partial hearing loss in the ear. Do not warm your ears or drop anything into them under any circumstances!
With timely treatment, hearing is completely restored.
If your ears are blocked on the plane
A common occurrence is when the ears become blocked during takeoff and landing of an airplane. For prevention, you need to slightly open your mouth at these moments, and also make swallowing movements as soon as your ears begin to clog, or yawn. Chewing gum and sucking on lollipops also helps.
The ear cannot hear - diagnosis of diseases
Medical professionals are called upon to diagnose hearing impairment. Only after determining the cause and degree of hearing loss will the doctor prescribe effective treatment. As soon as you feel a decrease in hearing acuity, contact an otolaryngologist (ENT).
Symptoms of ear congestion:
• you can hear “inside” not only your voice, but also the people nearby;
• constant noise or ringing in the ears;
• dull headache;
• it is worse to hear the interlocutor speaking in a whisper or on the phone.
To determine the degree of hearing loss, the doctor uses a visual examination, medical history, audiogram, and in some cases, culture for bacterial flora, radiography and CT.
Ear cannot hear - treatment
This condition is treated based on the reasons that caused it. After an accurate diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe treatment.
Foreign body. When one ear does not hear, and there is a suspicion of a foreign object inside it, do not try to act on your own - remove it with tweezers, a hook, a magnet, and other absurd improvised tools. You need to go to the emergency room as soon as possible, because any careless action can damage your eardrum. The doctor will quickly remove the foreign body from the ear using special tools, or maybe just wash it with saline, and that will be enough.
The ear is blocked after a cold. Before going to an otolaryngologist, you can try standard treatment methods. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and rinse each nasal passage with this solution throughout the day. After this, instill a vasoconstrictor drug (Farmazolin, Naphthyzin, etc.), but no more than three times a day. If after these measures the runny nose does not decrease and the ear still cannot hear, there is a reason to see a specialist.
When your ear gets blocked immediately after blowing your nose, you can try to “unblock” it using traditional methods. Close your nose with your fingers, take in air through your mouth and start exhaling it through your nose until you hear a dull sound, and immediately make several swallowing movements. Chewing gum and simultaneous massage of the outer ear also have a good effect; you can also try inflating balloons.
Do not try to pick anything out of your ear after a cold, do not heat it or drop anything without a doctor’s prescription.
At home, ear plugs can be removed in several ways:
• lying with the problematic ear up, drop 3% hydrogen peroxide heated to 38°C into it, lie in this position, turn over and wipe off the leaked liquid with a cotton swab, repeat the procedure the next day;
• drip into the ear with a pharmaceutical solution specially designed for this purpose.
Important: when instilling drops and rinsing the ear canal, the stream should be directed along its side wall.
Do not try to dig out an ear plug with a pin, hairpin, toothpick or knitting needle - this can lead to complete deafness. If the methods described above do not produce an effect, contact an otolaryngologist - he will remove the plug quickly and your hearing will be completely restored.
Acoustic neuritis. Treatment depends solely on the causes of the disease, is carried out in an inpatient department, and may include:
• antibacterial and antiseptic therapy;
• painkillers, sedatives, diuretics, blood circulation improving drugs;
• use of antidotes, detoxification;
Typically, neuritis of the auditory nerve caused by age-related changes is difficult to treat, and the therapy selected for the patient is used continuously until the end of life.
Acoustic neuritis is diagnosed only in the office of an otolaryngologist using an audiogram, and the degree of the disease is revealed - from minor sensorineural hearing loss to complete deafness.
In case of traumatic neuritis, an RO of the skull and an EEG should be performed, and an examination not only by an ENT specialist, but also by an ophthalmologist and a neurologist is required.
Patients with chronic auditory neuritis undergo courses of treatment (up to twice a year) and are registered with an audiologist. If complete deafness occurs, hearing aids are recommended.
Perforation of the eardrum is treated with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications. If there is no effect from treatment within a month, then the membrane is restored by surgery.
For otitis media and externa, local treatment with antibiotic drops in combination with steroid drops or ointment, as well as anti-inflammatory and painkillers, is usually prescribed. If there is no immediate effect, antibiotic therapy is prescribed orally.
Alcohol, antibacterial, hormonal drops and ointments, and other procedures at home should be agreed with a doctor. Self-medication can aggravate the situation, which often leads to, if not complete, then partial hearing loss.
The ear cannot hear - simple ways to prevent it
To avoid ear problems, simple daily care and a little attention are enough:
1. The outside of the ear should be washed with soapy water and wiped dry.
2. Use ear sticks only for external cleansing of the ear canal, so that only cotton wool enters the ear, and not half of the stick itself.
3. Treat infectious diseases in a timely manner.
4. Avoid constant and loud noise.
5. Go to an otolaryngologist for examination at least once a year.
By following these simple rules, you will protect yourself from many diseases.
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